This site is dedicated to providing moderate-right opinions, and information and articles that counter some of the nonsense being inculcated in our young people by public schools and by many colleges and universities. It rejects multiculturalism, embraces the melting pot and celebrates the idea of America. *Vi er all Dansk nu.*

Monday, August 08, 2005

Every August the Ghouls Come Out

I have always despised authors who write books outing dead people who can’t defend themselves. I feel the same way about the books that come out every August castigating President Truman for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Once again, let’s review some facts. Truman was facing intelligence estimates that an invasion of Japan would cost a million American and many more than a million Japanese casualties. These estimates were based on known plans of Japanese defenders and the bloody results of the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

Okinawa, a home island of Japan, resulted in more than 38,000 Americans wounded and 12,000 killed or missing, more than 107,000 Japanese and Okinawan soldiers killed, and perhaps 100,000 Okinawan civilians who perished in the battle. At Iwo Jima, just before Okinawa, 70,000 Americans went ashore and suffered 26,000 casualties and 6800 deaths. Virtually every one of the 22,000 Japanese defenders was killed. Far more casualties were recorded in these two battles than occurred at both Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Contrast these figures to what is going on in Iraq today.

The final piece to this decision was provided by Japan in the form of Kamikazes, who, in just three months, from October 25, 1944, to January 25, 1945, managed to sink two escort carriers and three destroyers. They also damaged 23 carriers, five battleships, nine cruisers, 23 destroyers and 27 other ships. American casualties amounted to 738 killed and another 1,300 wounded as the result of those attacks. Several thousand Kamikaze planes had been set aside for an invasion of the Japanese mainland that never happened.

President Truman, a Democrat and one of our greatest presidents, should be remembered and honored for the wisdom of this decision. He should also be remembered for the Marshall Plan, which saved Europe, the Truman Doctrine, which saved Greece and possibly Turkey, and the Berlin Airlift, which countered Russian moves to throw the West out. If anyone wants to learn more about this, visit the Truman Library.

After we, who were alive during World War II, are gone, who will tell our grandchildren the truth of this story, and what will they say?

1 Comments:

if truman had listened to patton and macarther ,when they told him to take everything now that the world was on it knees ,we wouldn,t have half the problems we have now.screw what the rest of the world thinks of us . they hated us then they hate us now.

About Me

Russell Wilcox is a retired college professor who spends several months in Florida and several months in Rhode Island each year, and whose interests include boating and sailing, sports, political activism, ballroom dancing and bridge. He has an MBA from Harvard, a Computer Systems CAGS from Bryant and a BS from Northeastern. He has worked in industry for EG&G and Texas Instruments, operated his own business with more than 200 employees, and served as Director of the Computer Information Systems Program for Stonehill College. An Army veteran and private pilot, he is a published author, and is the proud father of four children and the proud grandfather of seven grandchildren and one greatgrandchild. A holder of two patents in microchip connections and a true product of the melting pot, his father is the son of a Yankee farmer, and his mother the first generation daughter of Italian immigrants who retained their culture, but strove mightily to become Americans, sending four sons to fight against Hitler and Mussolini.